Page 40 of Far From Sherwood Forest
“I don’t—oh. The bear…”
Robin reaches out, and Ishouldstop him.
But I don’t.
His fingertips brush over the skin of my forearm, sweeping over the dark hair there. The sensation is jarring and soothing all at once.
I can’t remember the last time I was touched like this.
My eyelids flutter closed before I can stop them, and I give myself just a second. Just one moment to take in the feeling, the touch of his slightly calloused fingers, warm from the forge.
I force my eyes open, breaking whatever spell Robin was trying to cast on me. His gaze is no longer on my arm, staring into my face instead while his fingers continue their blessed, torturous touch.
I clear my throat.
He practically jumps backward, dropping his gaze. “Sorry.”
I don’t want your hands anywhere near me.
My own words come back to punch me in the gut. Iswearit’s only because he looks like a fucking kicked puppy right now.
It has nothing to do with the fact that he was the one to save me from the bear yesterday. Or that he claims to have forgiven me so easily for the death of his father. Or that his touch lights me on fucking fire.
“More magic?”
The question snaps me out of that lingering enchantment. “It would seem so.”
“What does this mean?”
“It means that, five years later, whoever brought us here is still out there, and they want us to know it. I just wish I knew what they fucking want.”
“Do you think they’ll send us back?”
There it is. I can hear it in his tone and see it in his eyes. He doesn’twantto go back. I can understand why. He lost so much back there. Truth be told, I did too. As strange as it may be with everything I went through the first few years in this world, I’m not sure I want to go back either.
“I don’t know.”
“Why did you come? Why did you want to tell me this?”
I shrug as I roll my sleeve down and slip my arm back into my jacket. “Like I said, we were brought to this worldtogether. I just thought you should know. I don’t know who they are or what they want, but it’s better that you know they’re still around.”
“Thanks,” he says with a faint smile. “So what now?”
I can tell he’s asking about more than just this. What now forus? I’m here, and I’m not trying to hurt him or taunt him or kill him. It appears it might be throwing him off balance as much as it is me.
“I don’t know,” I say again.
His smile falls completely, and he nods again. I just know he’s wanting totalkbecause that’s all he ever wants to do.
Sure enough, when I turn to leave, he stops me.
“Henry?”
I close my eyes, clench and unclench my jaw, and peer back at him over my shoulder.
“Can we talk about it? About what happened yesterday?”
“No, Robin,” I answer easily because talking about it is the last thing I want to do right now. “It wouldn’t make a difference anyway because it’s never going to happen again.”
